Today in History - Aug. 6

Published 9:00 pm, Sunday, August 4, 2002

Today is Tuesday, Aug. 6, the 218th day of 2002. There are 147 days left in the year.

Today's Highlight in History:

On Aug. 6, 1945, during World War II, the United States dropped an atomic bomb on Hiroshima, Japan, killing an estimated 140,000 people in the first use of a nuclear weapon in warfare.

On this date:

In 1787, the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia began to debate the articles contained in a draft of the United States Constitution.

In 1806, the Holy Roman Empire went out of existence as Emperor Francis I abdicated.

In 1825, Bolivia declared its independence from Peru.

In 1890, convicted murderer William Kemmler became the first person to be executed in the electric chair as he was put to death at Auburn State Prison in New York.

In 1914, Austria-Hungary declared war against Russia and Serbia declared war against Germany.

In 1926, Gertrude Ederle of New York became the first American woman to swim the English Channel. She did it in about 14 hours.

In 1962, Jamaica became an independent dominion within the British Commonwealth.

In 1965, President Johnson signed the Voting Rights Act.

In 1978, Pope Paul VI died at Castel Gandolfo at age 80.

In 1986, William J. Schroeder died after living 620 days with the Jarvik Seven artificial heart.

Ten years ago: President Bush granted full diplomatic recognition to the former Yugoslav republics of Bosnia-Herzegovina, Slovenia and Croatia, the same day Britain's Independent Television News showed videotape of emaciated detainees at a pair of Serb prison camps. Americans led by Carl Lewis swept the long jump at the Barcelona Summer Olympics, while Kevin Young won the 400 hurdles and Mike Marsh the 200 meters.

Five years ago: Korean Air Flight 801 crashed into a hillside a short distance from Guam International Airport, killing 228 of the 254 aboard the Boeing 747. Ending years of impassioned rivalry, Apple Computer and Microsoft agreed to share technology in a deal giving Microsoft a stake in Apple's survival.

One year ago: Ending months of speculation, former President Clinton said he would write his much sought-after memoirs for publisher Alfred A. Knopf. General Duong Van "Big" Minh, who was the president of South Vietnam for just a few days before the country fell to Communist invaders in 1975, died in Pasadena, Calif., at age 86. Brazilian author Jorge Amado died at age 88.